Mumbai Marathon: Rules to run by

10 tips from a veteran marathoner for the big race this weekend

Former national champion Savio D’Souza, India's representative at many international marathons, is a long distance runner and now trainer to Vogue advertising director Hemali Mehta. Mehta who plans to take on the 21 kilometer Mumbai Marathon this weekend.

As the official pacer for the annual Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon for the last few years, he’s helped many amateur marathoners perfect their run and better their times.

For the big race this weekend, we asked D’Souza and his trainee Hemali for their top tips to making it across the finish line.

In the run up to the final day, rest and hydration should be your focus

Rest up: D’Souza recommends a complete day of rest the day before the run. And he means complete.

“You shouldn’t even go down the street to buy something,” says Mehta.

Sleep sensibly: The night before, “You’re not going sleep well. You’re nerves are going to play up. Whoever says they sleep well the night before don’t know what they’re talking about,” says Mehta.

And you’ll have to wake up much earlier than usual to get to the start point on time, which is why D’Souza suggests you stock up on your sleep quota two or three nights prior to race.

Hyper hydrate: If you’re going to be running anywhere from two to six hours the next day, you’ll need to build up the levels of essential salts in your body.

“Drink a lot of water throughout the day. You should have at least one or two glasses of Electrol or a sports energy drink,” advises D’Souza, “One glass in the afternoon and one in the evening.”

Avoid Alcohol: “No hard drinks,” insists D’Souza, “Because the next day they’ll make you very dehydrated.” Alcohol will also negate all your efforts at hydrating your body.

Eat light: Even though you’ll be up really early, and are not used to eating anything at this time, D’Souza recommends having something that’s light. Milk is a big no-no in his book. “But light tea, with toast or jam, or fruits if you’re used to having fruits,” should be just fine.

Running attire: For Mumbai’s climate, “Cotton just won’t do,” feels Mehta. Nike Dri-fit is better, more comfortable option, and will protect you from post-race rashes and chafing. She also does not recommend running in heavily padded shoes; not only will you “be carrying more weight when you run”, they make you more prone to injuries too.

To conquer the distance, your brains have to stronger than your body

Pace yourself: “Start the race gradually” is D’Souza’s core advice. “There are many more people starting the race with you. There’s no point in starting fast, then slowing down, going zig-zag or trying to outrun them. You’ll just tire yourself out.” Instead, wait for the runners to start dispersing over the first few kilometers and then gradually increase your speed.

Drink water: Have small sips of water throughout your race. “Don’t wait until you’re very thirsty,” cautions D’Souza, “Sip water every few kilomtres, especially to wet your mouth.”

“If you stress out, you’re breathing goes haywire and you get tired faster,” says Mehta, “Physical strength gets you only so far. You eventually hit a wall and your mental strength is what takes you through to the finish.”